Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is humbling listening to Senator Mullen sharing his experience of the on-the-ground reality of his father having dementia. I regularly spoke to him in the latter years of his father's life. Rónán always bore the challenge, which it is and was, with dignity and compassion. I really admired the way he and his family did that over the years. It is a lesson to everyone. It is not the end of the world. There are ways and means. It is a matter of being creative and different and thinking outside the box. It is heartening to hear the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the State agencies were able to give assistance. Services probably are patchy around the country. We all receive calls from people who are very frustrated particularly in the early stages when they are trying to put a care plan together. That is very difficult. First, people have to accept the new reality and that it will become progressively worse. I am very happy that two new memory clinics are to open. That is good news. That is in addition to the diagnostic services it has improved enormously in recent years and State funding has improved enormously too. It is an ageing population and we will have many more people who will suffer from dementia. I was not at the briefing yesterday because of other commitments. However, I am fully aware of the work that is being done by the phenomenal volunteers and the dedicated people, as well as the people who are suffering from dementia who want things to change for them.

There is also a lesson about lifestyle. It is about people working towards preventing dementia and acute dementia. It is about trying not to drink too much, not smoke and try to live a healthy lifestyle. That applies to many things but particularly dementia. Research has shown that the onset of dementia could be reduced by 40% or 60% and it takes longer if people have lived a healthy lifestyle. When people are diagnosed that is the critical time. That is when they need the care plan and the support. I often say when someone has been diagnosed with something that is life-changing, the initial step-down engagement is extremely important. I have campaigned successfully in this House to have five clinical liaison contacts appointed around the country. I think one will be appointed in Waterford very soon. The same kind of model is needed, regardless of whether people are diagnosed with cardiac problems, dementia, blindness or deafness. There needs to be a caring human being who knows how to navigate the system and how to advise a family who might not necessarily have dealt with that before and would not necessarily have had any knowledge or experience or a family member with knowledge or experience. That needs to be there.The State needs to fund those advisers to hold out the hand of love, tell people what the range of services are and advise them on whether A, B or C suits them better than D, E or F.